Discover Bahia

History
and Geography

Geography

Situated in the Northeast region, Bahia is one of the 26 states that make up the Federal Republic of Brazil.
The state has a surface area of 564,692,7 km2. Its coast extends for 932 km, the longest of the Brazilian states.
It is made up of plains in the coastal region, of a central plain with mountain ranges (Chapada Diamantina) and an important depression in the east (Basin of the São Francisco River). Its highest point is the peak of Barbados (2.033,30m).

History

In 1500, the Portuguese landed in Brazil for the first time in Porto Seguro, in the south of Bahia. In the 16th century, Brazil was divided into Hereditary Captaincies. These immense territories, extending from the Atlantic Coastline in the east, to the boarder agreed to in the Treaty of Tordesilhas (1494) in the west, were divided amongst the Portuguese nobility, who assumed responsibility for colonization and development in Brazil.
As a result of this failed initiative, the Portuguese Crown recalled the captaincies and, joining four of them, created the province of Bahia. This became the first province lead by the crown, which sent its First Governor in 1549, truly beginning the colonization of the country.
Salvador was founded in 1549 and became the first capital of Brazil, remaining so until 1763.
Directly connected with the development of the Portuguese colony, Salvador became an intense center of commerce, where different economic cycles succeeded each other, such as Pau Brasil (Brazilian wood), sugar cane, tobacco and others. These activities led to the massive importation of African slaves. Today the population of Salvador is approximately three million inhabitants.
Because of the origins of its population, Salvador is today the most African city in Brazil; its African-Bahian identity makes it a unique place, a mixture of tender charm, melodic manner of speech and the flavors of its cuisine.
Capital of African Gods, life moves to the rhythm of drums and the incomparable sound of the Berimbau. Whether it’s to invoke the spirits, or to leave you hypnotized by capoeira, the “African” Bahia never ceases to surprise us. It rewards us in an extraordinary way with the beauty of its beaches and the richness of its culture which gives a magic touch to this universe of contrasts where sensuality and happiness reign.